Ten Years From Now
by countrybutterfly
Summary: Some things change. Some things linger. A brief look at Dave and Kurt a decade from now.


In ten years, Kurt Hummel will look back at high school fondly. He'll recount the 'glory days' of the New Directions Glee club, his antics with his best friend, Mercedes; among the highlights he'll gush about the day of his father's wedding and he'll do nothing short of brag about his solo at nationals the first year they won. He won't be fond of dwelling on the negative, so as a side note he'll mention his brief stint at Dalton Academy and vaguely allude to the bullying that sent him there. And on the rarest of occasions Kurt will think of David Karofsky with a sigh for the briefest of moments, allowing a quick chance to wonder what might have become of the boy who stole his first kiss. Then the second will pass and the high school hockey player will fade into the background of Kurt's memory. In the course of ten years he has found there a lot more important things in his life to dwell on: college graduation, Mercedes' engagement, his first job, his current boyfriend..

Ten years from now Dave Karofsky, for his part will still be alive. This fact will come as a shock to a number of people, himself included. Though it won't be for a lack of thinking about it. Turns out he's more terrified of death than he ever was scared of himself or anything in high school. In fact he will discover that the life he was scared of living isn't that scary after all. Granted, it wasn't a walk in the park, but Dave will be the first to admit it's better than where he was. Though he tries not to think about it, the subject of high school will inevitably become the occasional forefront topic of conversation. And while its not a consistent occurrence Kurt Hummel makes more appearances in his mind than he would like to admit. He will shake each memory off with a sigh of regret, focusing on all the things that happened after he left the McKinley High halls: coming out, college, his father's accident, med school, the man who's been flirting with him for nearly a month.

Ten years, however, will not have erased all the scars both men will still bear from high school. There will be bottle of pepper spray in Kurt's bag at all times, he'll avoid slusihies of any flavor at drive-thrus or movie theatres, and he won't even realize that every time he goes to the gym he'll spend the least amount of time in the locker room as possible. Dave, on the other hand, will spend an exponentially longer time in the gym itself, and will always have either a ball cap or a box of Rogaine on reserve for the first sign of balding. And though, he's out, and even will have been dragged to a Pride parade or two he will still have the lingering self-conscience that will make him hesitate when it comes to public displays of affection.

There is one scar that they will always share: Lima, Ohio.

Lima, Ohio where both Kurt and Dave ran from the first available moment for the very same reason though for vastly different motivations. Kurt had always been out and Dave had always been in, but regardless of the occupancy of their closets neither quite felt like the Lima had been the right fit. Sure, in the course of ten years Kurt will have made obligatory trips back to see his parents and its cannot deny that it serves as a convenient half way point for catching up with his step brother and others. However, in the same ten years, Lima will never have warranted a visit from Dave Karofsky.

But ten years from now, fate will play its hand and Dave will be forced to return to visit his ailing father in the same hospital where Kurt has flown to meet his nephew. They will spot each other from across the cafeteria and stare until they catch themselves and return to their respective company with a sigh, wondering on why the other man's familiarity. Even after all that happened between them in the past they will not be able to place the name to the face. Because ten year will have change many things, but in a display of bizarre compassion memory will have frozen the names they will be searching for to an eternally teenage face in their thoughts. Faces and recollection that are a part, and are meant to stay a part, of the past for the simplest of reasons:

In ten years Kurt Hummel will be happy…and ten years from now, so will Dave Karofsky.

* * *

I in no way shape of form own Glee.

Let me know what you think.


End file.
